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Warwick, New York

Coordinates: 41°15′40″N 74°21′19″W / 41.26111°N 74.35528°W / 41.26111; -74.35528
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For the village located within this town, see Warwick (village), New York.

Warwick, New York
Town
Town of Warwick
Warwick Town Hall
Warwick Town Hall
Flag of Warwick, New York
Flag
Official seal of Warwick, New York
Seal
Location in Orange County and the state of New York
Location in Orange County and the state of New York
Warwick, New York is located in New York
Warwick, New York
Warwick, New York
Location within the state of New York
Warwick, New York is located in the United States
Warwick, New York
Warwick, New York
Warwick, New York (the United States)
Coordinates: 41°15′40″N 74°21′19″W / 41.26111°N 74.35528°W / 41.26111; -74.35528
Country United States
State New York
CountyOrange
Incorporated1789
Government
 • Town SupervisorJesse Dwyer
Area
[1]
 • Total104.87 sq mi (271.61 km2)
 • Land101.29 sq mi (262.33 km2)
 • Water3.58 sq mi (9.28 km2)
Elevation
538 ft (164 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total32,027
 • Density310/sq mi (120/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Code
10990
Area code845
FIPS code36-78366[2]
GNIS feature ID0979600[3]
Websitewww.townofwarwick.org

Warwick is a town in the southwestern part of Orange County, New York, United States. Its population was 32,027 at the 2020 census. The town contains three villages (Florida, Greenwood Lake, and Warwick) and eight hamlets (Amity, Bellvale, Edenville, Little York, Wisner, New Milford, Pine Island, and Sterling Forest).

History

[edit]
Warwick station, c. 1910

In the early 1700s, one of the original patent holders, Benjamin Aske, named his land "Warwick", presumably after an area of England near his original ancestral home. He began to sell it off to settlers in 1719. His first parcel of land, 100 acres, was sold to Lawrence Decker. Other familiar family names of the Valley appeared in subsequent years. The European population of the valley grew rapidly from 1730 to 1765, and the previously existing populations of indigenous native people declined as forests and land were cleared for pasture and were re-organized. By the start of the American Revolution, almost all of the native population had disappeared in various ways.[4] The region has been referred to as Warwick since the early eighteenth century, but a governmental form for a town named Warwick was officially created in 1788.[5]

During the American War for Independence, Warwick was the site of a Continental Army encampment. The Hudson River Chain was forged at Sterling Iron Works in Warwick, preventing the British Navy from sailing up the Hudson River. In 1783, George Washington traveled through Warwick, stopping at Baird's Tavern and spending the night in the home of John Hathorn.

Perspective map of Warwick from 1887 with list of landmarks by L.R. Burleigh

Warwick is situated along a freight rail line, which, as it did with many other towns in Orange County (such as Goshen, Middletown, and Newburgh), contributed to the growth of the area. The nineteenth-century writer and naturalist Henry William Herbert, writing as Frank Forrester, popularized the area with his 1845 book, "The Warwick Woodlands".[6] Today, the town of Warwick is a rural community with many agricultural pursuits that stimulate its economy.[citation needed]

Geography

[edit]
View of the Warwick Valley from Mt. Peter

The town of Warwick comprises much of the southern tip of Orange County. It borders the townships of Vernon and West Milford to the south, both in the state of New Jersey. To its north, Warwick is bordered by Chester via Sugar Loaf, Orange County's oldest hamlet, antedating both Warwick and Chester, and which was part of Warwick until the mid-nineteenth century. To its east, Warwick is bordered by the town of Tuxedo, home of the New York Renaissance Faire, and the hamlet of Tuxedo Park.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town is the second largest township in New York State and has a total area of 104.9 square miles (271.6 km2), of which 101.7 square miles (263.3 km2) is land and 3.2 square miles (8.3 km2) (3.04%) is water. Greenwood Lake is Orange County's largest lake, and it is bisected by the border between New Jersey (to the south) and New York (on its north). Glenmere Lake, an extremely critical endangered species habitat, is bisected by Warwick and Chester.

Warwick is served by Warwick Municipal Airport and two regional state highways, New York State Route 17A (NY 17A) and NY 94. The Appalachian Trail passes through Warwick, which has been designated an Appalachian Trail Community.[7]

Climate

[edit]
Climate data for Warwick, NY
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 35
(2) 		38
(3) 		47
(8) 		61
(16) 		70
(21) 		78
(26) 		83
(28) 		81
(27) 		75
(24) 		63
(17) 		51
(11) 		40
(4) 		60
(16)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 17
(−8) 		18
(−8) 		26
(−3) 		37
(3) 		47
(8) 		55
(13) 		60
(16) 		59
(15) 		51
(11) 		40
(4) 		31
(−1) 		23
(−5) 		39
(4)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.1
(79) 		2.6
(66) 		3.6
(91) 		4.0
(100) 		4.0
(100) 		4.4
(110) 		3.8
(97) 		4.3
(110) 		4.2
(110) 		3.7
(94) 		3.6
(91) 		3.4
(86) 		44.7
(1,134)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 12.2
(31) 		9.4
(24) 		6.7
(17) 		1.2
(3.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		1.6
(4.1) 		7.8
(20) 		38.9
(99.1)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 7 6 8 8 9 9 7 8 7 6 7 7 89
Mean daily daylight hours 9.5 10.5 12.0 13.0 14.5 15.0 15.0 14.0 12.5 11.0 10.0 9.5 12.2
Source: NOAA/Google [8]

Demographics

[edit]
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18204,506—
18305,01311.3%
18405,1132.0%
18504,902−4.1%
18604,628−5.6%
18705,73623.9%
18805,699−0.6%
18906,0005.3%
19006,4036.7%
19107,14111.5%
19207,4624.5%
19308,0177.4%
19409,36916.9%
19509,8284.9%
196012,55127.7%
197016,95635.1%
198020,97623.7%
199027,19329.6%
200030,76413.1%
201032,0654.2%
202032,027−0.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 30,764 people, 10,868 households, and 7,955 families residing in the town. The population density was 302.6 inhabitants per square mile (116.8/km2). There were 11,818 housing units at an average density of 116.2 per square mile (44.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 91.06% White, 4.51% Black or African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.85% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.60% from other races, and 1.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.47% of the population.

There were 10,868 households, of which 38.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.7% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.8% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.25.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.2% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.2 males.

Education

[edit]

The Warwick Valley Central School District serves as the public school system for Warwick residents and residents of the southern portion of the town of Chester. The Greenwood Lake Union Free School District [1] serves the residents of Greenwood Lake, with the GWL Elementary School and GWL Middle School; students have a choice of Chester Academy or Warwick Valley High School for their high school education. The Florida NY Union Free School District [2] serves the residents of Florida, NY, with Golden Hill Elementary School and S.S.Seward Institute.

Festivals

[edit]

Applefest is an annual outdoor festival attracting as many as 35,000 people each year in October.[10]

The Hudson Valley Jazz Festival, originally named the Warwick Valley Jazz Festival, takes place during the summer.[11][12]

The annual George Washington Celebration is a tradition that celebrates when the Founding Father, Gen. George Washington, came to Warwick and enjoyed a grog with his men in Baird's Tavern. This free community-wide tradition takes place in July, and is carried on by the Historical Society of the Town of Warwick, also known as the Warwick Historical Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to Warwick since its inception in 1906. George Washington Day is a fun-filled community tradition with free public historic property tours throughout the afternoon. [13]

Transportation

[edit]

Warwick is served by the 196 and 197 buses to Manhattan (operated by New Jersey Transit). It is also served by the Warwick inter-municipal bus.[14][15]

Communities and locations in the town of Warwick

[edit]
  • Warwick – village located by the junction of NY 94 and NY 17A
  • Florida – village located on NY 17A
  • Greenwood Lake – village located on NY 17A at the north end of Greenwood Lake
  • Amity – hamlet located between Edenville and Pine Island near the New Jersey state line - It is served by the Amity Station of the Pine Island Fire Department and is the site of the Amity Presbyterian Church, which was first opened in 1796. Also located in Amity is the Crystal Inn, a well known restaurant that opened in 1965.
  • Bellvale – hamlet on NY 17A between Warwick village and Greenwood Lake
  • Black Walnut Hill – hamlet north of Hoopstick on Pulaski Highway
  • Cascade Lake – a small lake in the hills on the southern part of town
  • Center – a historic hamlet identified solely by the post office that was located at the Warwick Woodlands Hotel from 1909 to 1916 on the western shore of Greenwood Lake north of Furnace Brook. An earlier post office by the name of Warwick Woodlands, New York, operated at the same location from 1882 to 1891.
  • Durland – hamlet northeast of Warwick village and west of Wickham Lake
  • Edenville – hamlet in the western part of Warwick, on Pine Island Turnpike, just off County Route 1 (CR 1)
  • Greenwood Forest Farms – an early area retreat for African-American families
  • Hoopstick – hamlet north of Pine Island in the "black dirt" on Pulaski Highway, historically the home of nineteenth century barrel hoop makers
  • Lake – hamlet along King's Highway near the town line at Chester; Had a depot, freight house, creamery, post office, general store and long passing siding on the Lehigh and Hudson River Railway
  • Lakeville – hamlet located at the southern end of Sterling Lake
  • Liberty Corners – hamlet on CR 88, near the New Jersey state line in the southwestern part of the town
  • Little York – hamlet east of Pine Island
  • New Milford – hamlet near the New Jersey state line on NY 94
  • Newport – hamlet south of Pine Island
  • Pine Island – hamlet at the junction of CR 1 (Pine Island Turnpike), CR 6 (Pulaski Highway), and CR 26 (Glenwood Road) near the northwest town line - It is the commercial center of the "black dirt" region.
  • Quaker Creek – hamlet south of Snufftown on Pulaski Highway, directly on the border with the town of Goshen
  • Snufftown – hamlet north of Pine Island near the town line; historically considered the "Snufftown section of the village of Florida", it is the last settlement in the Florida union-free school district, named for the habit of the early twentieth century farmers who relaxed on the front porch of one of the earliest homesteads, drinking beer, and chewing snuff.[citation needed]
  • Sterling Forest – a hamlet located at the New Jersey state line on the eastern shore of Greenwood Lake, and served by the Sterling Forest, New York, post office. It was the site of the first American rocket airplane flight that carried mail from New York to New Jersey on February 23, 1936.[citation needed] Babe Ruth often rented a cabin there for the summer season during his retirement.[citation needed] The Jehovah's Witnesses' world headquarters building is located in Sterling Forest.[16]
  • Wisner – hamlet northeast of Warwick village originally known as "Stone Bridge"; Had a depot, freight house, creamery, and siding on the Lehigh and Hudson River Railway and a post office, Grange general store and warehouse, the latter of which still stands.
  • Glenmere Lake – a reservoir that hosts New York's last population of the endangered northern cricket frog
  • Greenwood Lake – a lake on the border of New York and New Jersey
  • Mount Adam – a granite and shale mount directly on the border of the "black dirt", near the northern town line and directly southwest of Mount Eve
  • Mount Eve – a granite and shale mount, one-quarter mile south of Snufftown and northeast of Mount Adam
  • Pochuck Neck – a location near the western town line between Liberty Corners and Pine Island
  • Sterling Lake – a lake in the eastern part of the town
  • Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge – northernmost part only
  • Wickham Lake – a small lake near the northern town line

Notable people

[edit]

See also

[edit]
  • "Growing Up Greenpoint - A Kid's Life in 1970s Brooklyn". The town at the ending of the book is Warwick, NY, where the author, Tommy Carbone went to high school.
  • Michael Jackson – "Earth Song" music video
  • Warwick Advertiser

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  3. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  4. ^ A Short History of the Warwick Valley - Dr. Richard Hull's History of Warwick. S. Gardner, July 1999. albertwisnerlibrary.org. Retrieved November 2019.
  5. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Town of Warwick; retrieved, March 26, 2014
  6. ^ Merritt, Jim (December 1996). "The Exile". Field & Stream.
  7. ^ "Warwick to Mark Appalachian Trail Community Day". New York–New Jersey Trail Conference. June 30, 2012.
  8. ^ "NOAA/Google". Retrieved November 28, 2022.
  9. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  10. ^ "Celebrate annual Applefest in Warwick next week". Times Herald-Record. Middletown, NY. October 1, 2009. Retrieved April 18, 2011.
  11. ^ Sparks, Leonard (August 29, 2010). "Warwick hosts its 1st jazz festival". Times Herald-Record. Middletown, NY. Retrieved April 18, 2011.
  12. ^ "Press". Hudsonvalleyjazzfest.org. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
  13. ^ Visit www.warwickhistory.org for information.
  14. ^ Countywide map transitorange.info
  15. ^ Town Services/Bus Schedules townofwarwick.org Archived December 3, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  16. ^ Norton, E., Jehovah's Witnesses new world HQ nearly complete, Warwick Advertiser, published June 9, 2016, accessed July 26, 2022
  17. ^ Kennedy, Randy. "Robert Whitman, Cutting-Edge Performance Artist, Dies at 88", The New York Times, January 20, 2024. Accessed January 21, 2024. "Robert Whitman, a pioneer of performance and multimedia art whose work tapped into primitive, nonverbal human ritual while also anticipating the fractured nature of 21st-century digital existence, died on Friday at his home in Warwick, N.Y., in the Hudson Valley. He was 88."

[1]

[edit]
  1. ^ Greenwood Lake history, Chronogram magazine, October 26, 2023: https://www.chronogram.com/hv-towns/greenwood-lake-the-liquid-playground-turns-100-19299566
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